Mono Lake, California Mono is a saline soda lake and an important rest stop for migrating birds. In this photo, you can see the famous tufa limestone formations in the lake under the cloud. These formerly submerged towers became visible when the lake level dropped due to evaporation after Owens River water was diverted for use by Los Angeles in the early 20th century. The story of the water wars is a fascinating piece of California history.
Zabriskie Badlands, Death Valley Black and white brings out the folds of the water-carved mudstone rock in the badlands as seen from this iconic location. This rock was formed from sediments in a lake that covered the area nine million years ago. The early morning sun does a good job of accentuating the form of the hills.
